X-Men Vol 2 98
(Story) | NextIssue = (Story) (Title) | Editor-in-Chief = Bob Harras | CoverArtist1 = Alan Davis | CoverArtist2 = Mark Farmer | Writer1_1 = Alan Davis | Penciler1_1 = Alan Davis | Inker1_1 = Mark Farmer | Colourist1_1 = Marie Javins | Letterer1_1 = Richard Starkings | Letterer1_2 = Comicraft | Editor1_1 = Mark Powers | Quotation = You're history, Apocalypse! I've lost everything and everyone I ever loved to you already... and now that you're down in the dirt where you belong, in the name of all whose blood you've spilled... I'll see you dead and bury -- | Speaker = Cable | StoryTitle1 = First & Last: Part 2 | Synopsis1 = The X-Men are cast into an alternate timeline, created by the hiding the newly empowered Apocalypse using the power of the Twelve and the Living Monolith during a century. The X-Men appear to be in the year 2099. According to E'tha, a teacher of young mutants, it has been 100 years since Cyclops made the ultimate sacrifice to stop Apocalypse. After defeating Apocalypse, Professor Charles Xavier led the Skrull Mutants in a journey across the cosmos. Professor X turned the Skrull Mutants into an interplanetary forced for justice and peace, bringing law and mercy to many worlds. These new X-Men prevented innumerable natural disasters, prevented a half dozen space wars, and even neutralized the threat of Galactus with a self-replicating energy source. The X-Men then created a central base for the universal X-Alliance on a planet known simply as X-World, described as a home and haven for all outcasts, from every corner of reality. E'tha's young mutant students become distracted by a spaceship landing nearby, while E'tha speaks with Jean Grey, who despite being over 100 years old, appears to be a middle-aged woman. Jean explains her relatively youthful appearance is from clean living, suspended animation and 21st century medicine. As Jean and E'tha catch-up, the students observe a familiar group of faces emerging from the spaceship. General Fiz, the mutant Skrull leader, greets Storm, Colossus and Charles Xavier, now called Founder-X. Xavier floats along in a modified hover-chair. Colossus looks much the same, except for becoming bald and sporting a large mustache. Storm has radically changed, described as having ascended to a elemental being. Her entire body is a light blue hue. As Jean and E'tha part company, Jean looks on at a statute of Cyclops. Through the last 100 years, Jean has been a surrogate mother to hundreds of mutant orphans, but never had children of her own. She never remarried, never finding a man equal to Scott Summers. In the courtyard below, Beast and Iceman catch-up. Iceman looks radically different, having covered his body in spikes. The years have not been kind to Hank McCoy, who has gained a considerable amount of weight. Storm interrupts the two, looking for Jean Grey. Iceman recommends that Storm check the Holo-Museum, and Storm flies off. Colossus introduces his two great-granddaughters to Gambit and Marrow, who are now married. Marrow mentions that they are the image of their great grandmother, Shadowcat, who could not make it. Rogue flies up to the group, and it's apparent that she has not aged a day, unlike the others. Rogue comments that she has complete control over her powers. Meanwhile, Sunfire meets up with X-Man, mistaking him for Cable. X-Man quickly corrects him, and reports that rumors suggest that Cable finally stopped fighting the Mecha-Virus in his bloodstream and has joined up with Magneto. These rumors are quickly confirmed, as the Brotherhood of Mutants arrives to the surprise of all, including an aged Magneto, Polaris, Cable, and three unknown members. It appears that members of Xavier's guards are going to arrest the Brotherhood and that the two groups will fight, but Magneto and Polaris intervene and stop the other members of the Bortherhood from fighting. Magneto announces that they have arrived merely to pay their respects to Xavier, who announces that he is dying. At this time, Storm tells Jean of Xavier's condition, and that he may only have hours left to live. Jean is surprised that Xavier hid his condition from her, but Storm explains he did so out of guilt over Scott's death. Storm notes that the one thing that Xavier needs before he dies, although he would never ask, is Jean's forgiveness. Jean notes that it is herself that she can never forgive. Back with the main group, Xavier tells them that his condition is terminal and that there are no remaining treatment options for some virus he has contracted. However, a mysterious Shiar notes that there is a strange device has been found that the X-Alliance Research Teams believe can cure any ill. The device is believed to be created by an ancient civilization thousands of years ago. The Shiar notes that it appears that the device is energized by primal bio-kinetics, and it appears that terrestrial mutants are uniquely suited in being able to power it. Xavier says that he will not authorize the use of untested technology on his people, but the X-Men and the others volunteer anyway. Suddenly Xavier collapses, telepathically stating that "No, you don't understand..." Beast asks the Shiar if he knows how to operate the machine in time to save Xavier. The Shiar has reservations, because Xavier is opposed to its use, but Gambit demands that they activate the machine. The Shiar complies, Xavier is placed in the proper receptacle, while the others are positioned at specific power terminals, to be charged with bio-energies. Storm, Iceman, Sunfire, Magneto and Polaris all fire their respective energies at the terminals, and the artifact begins to come alive. Cellular reparations begin, but the circuits require more power, according to the Shiar. Jean, Gambit, Cable and X-Man also fire their mutant energies into the device. Suddenly Xavier wakes up and tells the X-Men to stop immediately. However, it is too late, the mutants cannot stop. The Shiar reveals himself to be Apocalypse, who has devised this trap to create another conduit for the power he still needed from the Twelve. It is revealed that Apocalypse has created this future scenario, having channeled the Twelve's power through the Living Monolith, allowing Apocalypse to control time and space. Xavier comments that Apocalypse's physical manifestation of his person, with the vast bulk of what he has become now exists completely outside of conventional time and space, far beyond the limits of Apocalypse's own vision. Apocalypse disagrees, since this reality is not some simply alternate scenario, but in fact, the X-Men have lived in this reality for a hundred years. With the conduit, Apocalypse can now drain the X-Men's entire life potential in reverse through his new ability to reverse time, absorbing a centuries' worth of bio-energies. Apocalypse backs up his claims, and reverses the last hundred years, returning the X-Men back to modern-day Egypt. In a desperate attempt, Jean uses her telepathy to enter deep into Apocalypse's mind to find Cyclops, who has merged with Apocalypse. Jean realizes that Cyclops is sabotaging Apocalypse's power-circuit from within, looping the X-Men's stolen energies directly back to the X-Men. Apocalypse is unaware that he is merely running left on the stolen power of the Twelve and that he is burning out fast, due to two quantum reality-shifts. A tremendous explosion occurs, and the X-Men realize they have returned to Egypt. Apocalypse is temporarily stunned and Cable runs at Apocalypse, ready to finish him off. Jean stops him with her telekinesis, and during that time, Apocalypse and the Living Monolith escape by teleporting. Cable is furious at Jean, yelling that he has waited a lifetime for that moment, to stop Apocalypse to prevent the obscene future that he comes from. Cable yells that Apocalypse deserved to die, but Jean responds that Scott doesn't. Cable and the others believe that Scott is dead, but Jean tells the others that she believes Scott is still alive and that he saved the X-Men. However, Xavier tells Jean that he did not hear Scott. Storm comforts Jean, who comments that whatever has occurred, it is really over now. Two days later, at the Xavier institute, Xavier thinks about the events that have occurred. Xavier believes that he has failed everyone, including Scott and Jean, but he will not let Scott's sacrifice be in vain. Xavier notes that life must move on, and that Wolverine has completely recovered from his ordeal as Death, Polaris has parted with Magneto to some uncertain end, that the Monolith's followers and the Skrull warriors have vanished, but the Skrull Mutants remain. However, there are too many of the Skrull Mutants, and they need a new homeworld. | Appearing1 = Featured Characters: * ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** Numerous unnamed Human, Shi'ar, Skrull and Mutants *** X-Alliance Trainees * ** ** ** ** Three unnamed mutants Supporting Characters: * ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** * * * ** ** ** Others Skrulls mutants (to identified) Villains: * Amphibi-droid Force * / * / * * * Apocalypse's ally * Monolith's followers Other Characters: * * * * * * * * * Braxi-Z's representative * * * * * Remy and Sarah's grandson * Remy and Sarah's grandson's wife * Remy and Sarah's grandson's wife's unborn triplets * Lorna's son Locations: * at year 2099 ** *** Holomuseum-Museum ** * ** ** * Items: * Holo-Museum exposition ** ** ** ** ** Cyclops/Apocalypse * * * * * Vehicles: * | Notes = * Part 5 of 5 of the Ages of Apocalypse story, continuing from X-Men Unlimited #26 and concluding in this issue. | Trivia = | Recommended = | Links = * plot summary at uncannyxmen.net }}